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NZ 104 USA 14
NZ - Jacobson 2, Jordan 3, McKenzie, Mo'unga, Ta'avao 2, Tupaea, Papalii, Lienert-Brown, Barrett, Coles, Perenara & de Groot tries; Mo'unga 9 conversions, McKenzie 3 conversions
USA - Augsperger & Matyas try; Carty 2 conversions
Second half
80th minute - TRY to Perenara
All Blacks control the kickoff and McKenzie sprints down the right touchline, where he's nailed by Carty. When the ball goes left, where Ennor makes matres and finds Perenara running support inside.
McKenzie converts, NZ 104-14
79th minute - TRY to Coles
Long break for injury...
Perenara will feed an attacking scrum, Jordan finds ALB cutting towards the posts and Coles is waiting out on the win got beat three defenders.
McKenzie's conversion swings wide, NZ 97-14
78th minute - More slick passing from the All Blacks, but Cane's last pass to Jordan is deflected forward by Carty.
77th minute - Fancy interpassing from the All Blacks, but Perenara's back flick goes astray.
76th minute - Eagles win the lineout, but lose the ball. Big tackle from Jacobson on Tonga'uiha.
75th minute - Big NZ scrum, but Perenara is too quickly around and penalised.
74th minute - All Blacks shift the ball right, where ALB touch-passes to Jordan, who can't gather.
73rd minute - US win the lineout, but on the other side of the field, Augsperger is bundled into touch.
72nd minute - US have the ball in their own half, but All Blacks defence is up quickly. US win a penalty on halfway.
70th minute - TRY to Jordan
Barrett kicks deep from a penalty in his own half and NZ have an attacking lineout on the 22.
Vaa'i wins the lineout, Coles runs off and finds Jordan at full speed on an angle, through the line, to score his third. McKenzie converts, NZ 92-14
67th minute - TRY to Barrett
Sotutu and Jordan interpass off the scrum on their own line, and Barrett is on hand to finish of a length-of-the field move. McKenzie assumes goalkicking duties and slots the converstion, NZ 85-14
66th minute - US win another lineout, but their maul goes nowhere and All Blacks win a turnover.
65th minute - US win the lineout, but their maul is pushed back. They build phases and play under advantage... Campbell is smashed in a tackle by Ennor, so Gardner brings them back for the penalty.
63rd minute - Lord wins a lineout, but US have a penalty at the breakdown and Carty finds the corner again.
62nd minute - All Blacks scrum pushes the US off the ball and Josh Lord has a run with his first handle. Ennor makes metres down the left, but his pass to Perenara is loose and the US gather.
20th minute - Beauden Barrett is on the field, as the All Blacks break from their own line, but Perenara's pass to Ennor is forward.
19th minute - USA win a scrum penalty on halfway. Carty kicks to the corner, but the throw-in isn't straight.
18th minute - Nice hands from forwards and backs, but eventually Lomax knocks on.
Whitelock leaves the field and Josh Lord makes his NZ debut.
17th minute - All Blacks control the kickoff and build in their own half.
16th minute - TRY to Lienert-Brown
All Blacks have brought on ALB and Perenara, just as they win a penalty, quickly tapped by Coles, and the ball moves left, where Tupaea dents the defence and offloads to his Chiefs mate. Mo'unga's conversion stays right, NZ 78-14
13th minute - TRY to Matyas
US win another penalty 10 metres out and All Blacks not back. There's a lunge at the corner and Gardner goes to review a possible try by Matyas.
There's no camera angle to overrule the onfield call, so try stands. Carty converts from the sideline, NZ 73-14
12th minute - US win a free kick at the scrum and they mount an attack.
10th minute - All Blacks start to run some replacements - Bower, Lomax and Coles are on in the front row, while Sam Cane replaces Papalii.
Eighth minute - TRY to Papalii
Mo'unga dances through a crowd of US defenders backpedalling, finds McKenzie out wide and Papalii runs a nice line in support for his try. Mo'unga converts, NZ 73-7
Seventh minute - Big scrum from the All Blacks destroys their counterparts, but US clear.
Sixth minute - Aumua pinged for crooked throw to the lineout.
Fifth minute - US showing good patience on attack, but solid NZ defence so far and they win the penalty.
Fourth minute - From the lineout, Augsperger dases down the short side and the Americans go on attack.
Third minute - All Blacks building phases in their own half, but are penalised on halfway for incorrect entry to a breakdown. Carty kicks to the corner.
First minute - TRY to Ta'avao
Mo'unga kicks off for the second half and McKenzie sparks another attack. He takes a half gap, finds Papalii inside him and Ta'avao is running a beautiful line for his second try.
Mo'unga converts, NZ 66-7
First half
40th minute - TRY to Augsperger
US win a lineout and their halfback scores their first try ever against the All Blacks. Augsberger tries to clear the ball from a ruck, but runs into his own man, who propels him through a gap and he keeps running, wrongfooting McKenzie on his way to the line.
Carty converts, NZ 59-7
39th minute - Jordan makes another damaging run down the right and All Blacks pour onto attack, but Sotutu is penalised for incorrect entry at the breakdown.
37th minute - TRY to Tupaea
Aumua runs off an attacking lineout, Mo'unga tries a long pass that's deflected down, but Tupaea regathers to dot down. Review suggest Mo'unga's pass was forward, but nothing conclusive, so try stands.
Mo'unga converts, NZ 59-0
36th minute - All Blacks try to break out of their own half and Vaa'i tries a fancy behind-the-back pass. US steal the ball and mount an attack, but NZ have a penalty at the breakdown.
33rd minute - TRY to Ta'avao
All Blacks disrupt a US lineout, but Lopeti breaks up midfield. when NZ win their own lineout, Jordan makes another beak down the left and Ta'avao rumbles 20 metres to score.
Mo'unga converts, NZ 52-0
30th minute - TRY to Jordan
From the scrum, Christie goes right and McKenzie fires a long pass to Jordan, who beats his marker outside to score his second in the corner.
Mo'unga slices his conversion, NZ 45-0
28th minute - From the scrum, Christie runs left, McKenzie finds Tupaea busting on the middle and Vaa'i runs off his shoulder. He loses the ball in a tackle that is deemed high, so penalty NZ.
27th minute - Carty kicks out on the full from the kickoff, so NZ have a scrum at halfway.
24th minute - TRY to Mo'unga
US win the lineout, but Whitelock steals the ball and NZ break out of their 22.
Mo'unga chips over the defensive line, Jordan runs off his shoulder to gather and then put his first-five away. Mo'unga still has a couple of defenders to beat and almost trips over Christie beside him, but keeps his feet to score.
Mo'unga converts, NZ 40-0
23rd minute - Sotutu is guilty of a high tackle and US play under advantage. When play breaks down, the Americans kick for the corner and an attacking lineout.
20th minute - TRY to Jacobson
From the scrum, the All Blacks build phases with nice handling, fowards and backs, until the ball moves right and Jacosbon brushes past the last defender to cross in the corner for his second.
After missing from a similar angle, Mo'unga slots his conversion, NZ 33-0
18th minute - USA win a lineout, but Augsberger takes too long clearing the ball and Vaa'i is on top of him, forcing an NZ attacking scrum.
17th minute - Sotutu rises high at the back of a lineout, but the NZ attack is stifled by Augsberger.
16th minute - Carty tries a little chip towards the corner for his winger, but it's out on the full. From the lineout, NZ have a penalty for a high tackle.
15th minute - From the kickoff, Sotutu makes another big run down the right, but the All Blacks are penalised and USA clear.
13th minute - TRY to McKenzie
Mo'unga creates indecision in midfield, Sotutu dashes down the right touchline, before finding Tupaea inside him and McKenzie takes the last pass. Mo'unga converts from in front, NZ 26-0
12th minute - From the kickoff, All Blacks mount an attack from their own half and play under advantage.
Ninth minute - TRY to Jordan
US feed to the scrum, but Augsberger is caught by Christie and All Blacks have the ball, with penalty advantage. The ball shifts right, where Jordan chips ahead and regathers to add to his impressive scoring record with the All Blacks.
Mo'unga misses his conversion, NZ 19-0
Eighth minute - Eagles try to spin the ball on attack, but Sotutu is up quickly to top the momentum in midfield. Gardner calls them back for a Tupaea knock-on.
Fifth minute - TRY to de Groot
All Blacks win a penalty at that scrum and move it quickly to Jordan and Tupaea out right. when the ball is recycled, Vaa'i's pass is deflected, but de Groot snaffles it up for his first international try near the posts.
Mo'unga conferts, NZ 14-0
Fourth minute - Christie has feed to the first scrum of the game...
First minute - TRY to Jacobson
Angus Gardner will referee today's match, 40,000 in attendance and Carty will kick off for USA.
From the kickoff, the ball shifts left to McKenzie, who gives Bridge space down the touchline and Jacobson has too much speed for the defence to score after just 29 seconds.
Mo'unga converts from the sideline, NZ 7-0
*****
8:33am - Moving tribute to Wainui before the match. The All Blacks will pause 11 seconds to remember their fallen mate, representing the playing number he wore.
The US team present a No.11 jersey in his honour.
A little extra feeling in the Kamate haka today...
*****
8:24am - Today's match will take place at Fed Ex Field, home of the curiously named Washington Football Team, formerly known as the Redskins.
With many of their stars playing in Europe, the US team will consist only of players from the domestic competition, so a huge challenge for them.
The NZ anthem is being sung by 660 lead singer Matiu Walters, wearing a Maori All Blacks jersey with Sean Wainui's name.
*****
Kia ora, good morning and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the All Blacks' opening match of their end-of-year northern tour against USA Eagles at Washington DC.
Three weeks after wrapping up their Rugby Championship campaign with a last-minute loss to South Africa, the NZ side take on an American side that currently sits 17th on world rankings and have named a team befitting that occasion.
Essentially, coach Ian Foster is using the fixture to bring back several players who have been missing from the squad during the business end of the Australian campaign, most significantly captain Sam Whitelock, incumbent captain Sam Cane and openside flanker Dalton Papalii.
After leading the team against Tonga, Fiji and Australia, Whitelock elected to stay home for the Rugby Championship to help his wife through the delivery of their third child.
Cane has been sidelined by a chest/shoulder injury since Super Rugby Aotearoa, while Papalii - initially preferred as Cane's positional replacement - dropped out of the test line-up with a hamstring injury and had to watch Ethan Blackadder and Luke Jacobson make the most of his chances.
The return of Cane and Papalii will make future loose forward selections particularly tough for Foster, who seems to have an abundance of talent in those positions. The captaincy has been another conundrum, with Cane given a chance to play his way back into the team, after Ardie Savea did a great leadership job in Australia.
The balance of today's team is made up of other players who have rarely been sighted during this campaign, made longer by the uncertainty of international travel in the COVID-19 environment.
First-five Richie Mo'unga took the field against the Springboks, but is still desperately in need of matchplay, after also staying home on babywatch. Hooker Dane Coles has missed much of this season with a calf injury.
Others within this line-up need big performances to put their names back into selection conversation, especially George Bridge, who was last seen stumbling under the South African kicking barrage last month.
Halfback Finlay Christie, prop Ethan De Groot and centre Braydon Ennor get their first test starts, while rookie lock Josh Lord will make his international debut from the bench.
But all of this takes place as players mourn the tragic death of Māori All Blacks and Chiefs star Sean Wainui back home. Players will enter this match with heavy hearts at the passing of their mate, but also determined to play this one in his honour.
On paper, the Americans shouldn't trouble even this second-string All Blacks line-up - but you never expect an upset until it happens. They will want to make a big impression in the same week they announced their intentions of staging a Rugby World Cup on the American continent for the first time.
All Blacks: 1-Ethan de Groot 2-Asafo Aumua, 3-Angus Ta'avao, 4-Sam Whitelock (c), 5-Tupou Vaa'i, 6-Luke Jacobson, 7-Dalton Papalii, 8-Hoskins Sotutu, 9-Finlay Christie, 10-Richie Mo'unga, 11-George Bridge, 12-Quinn Tupaea, 13-Braydon Ennor, 14-Will Jordan, 15-Damian McKenzie
Reserves: 16-Dane Coles, 17-George Bower, 18-Tyrel Lomax, 19-Josh Lord, 20-Sam Cane, 21-TJ Perenara, 22-Beauden Barrett, 23-Anton Lienert-Brown
USA: 1-Matt Harmon, 2-Dylan Fawsitt, 3-Paul Mullen, 4-Nate Brakeley, 5-Nick Civetta, 6-Benjamin Bonasso, 7-Hanco Germishuys, 8-Cam Dolan, 9-Nate Augspurger, 10-Luke Carty, 11-Ryan Matyas, 12-Bryce Campbell (c), 13-Tavite Lopeti, 14-Ryan James, 15-Will Hooley
Reserves: 16-Chad Gough, 17-Faka'osi Pifeleti, 18-Dino Waldren, 19-Siaosi Mahoni, 20-Moni Tonga'uiha, 21-Andrew Guerra, 22-Michael Baska, 23-Mike Dabulas.
TAB Odds: USA $151
'It's impacted on everyone': All Blacks harnessing grief from Wainui tragedy
Coach Ian Foster says the All Blacks have rallied around one another during a testing week in the US capital, as the squad collectively process the news of Sean Wainui's tragic death.
On Monday, the promising Chiefs and Māori All Blacks player was killed in a car crash near Tauranga at just 25 years old, leaving behind his wife and two young children.
Wainui's rugby reach - spanning from the Crusaders to the Chiefs, Taranaki to the Bay of Plenty - means he's well known to many of the All Blacks squad involved in the current northern tour.
Compounding that sense of loss has been their distance from home and the players have united to work through the grief, which has affected the entire group - both players and staff - as they prepare to face USA on Sunday (NZ time).
"It's impacted on everyone, when people lose a mate and particularly someone who's really close to a whole lot of these players," says Foster. "We're feeling for the family back home particularly.
"We're a small part of the rugby fraternity that's all hurting. In our own way, being away from home has impacted on a lot of the players, so just getting them together and just allowing them to go through a process together I think has been key."
Earlier in the week, assistant coach John Plumtree stressed any player not feeling mentally ready to play due to Wainui's passing would be happily excused from the match against the Eagles.
Foster believes the players will use the tragedy as added motivation, come Sunday.
"I think there's a real determination to make sure we harness that energy and use it," Foster says.
There doesn't appear to be any evidence of voluntary withdrawals in Foster's gameday squad, which he announced on Friday.
Loose forward Luke Jacobson is the only starter remaining from the last All Blacks starting side to take the field against South Africa in the Rugby Championship finale earlier this month.
Foster says his selections are largely based on balancing workloads and providing opportunities for those who didn't see much action in the initial Australian leg of their 12-week rugby odyssey, which will continue to the UK after Sunday's test.
"We're really cognisant of making sure we don't have players who have too big a gap between games, as they sort of lose the ability to put their hand up later in the tour," he notes.
"That's been a key factor in this group. A number of guys who have joined us later in the tour or joined us here and we are keen to get them on the park, get them some game time."
Three first-time test starters have been named - prop Ethan de Groot, halfback Finlay Christie and centre Braydon Ennor - while lock Josh Lord is poised to earn his first test cap off the bench.
The announcement Lord - with less than a handful of appearances for Taranaki and the Chiefs under his belt - would join the touring squad as an injury replacement prompted double-takes from fans across the country.
While he admits Lord is a work in progress, Foster has seen enough from the towering 20-year-old project - who's had the ideal roommate/mentor in Sam Whitelock - to feel confident thrusting him into the cauldron of test rugby.
"He's settled in really, really well," says Foster. "He just seems to be a day-at-a-time type of man and I love that.
"He just focuses on what he needs to do today, not trying to overcomplicate things. He's a confident young man.
"He was selected on the basis that we could start working with him and see where we feel we can get him, and we've seen nothing to contradict that."
